Reply #73: Exactly

[freshstart]

Ron Paul was sticking his nose in foreign policy in 1977 when he didn't even hold an office but was a member of the "shadow cabinet."
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3PtHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XQANAAAAIBAJ&pg=1386,3755771&dq=ron+paul+shadow+cabinet&hl=en

And, who is one of Paul's foreign policy advisors? Doug Bandow, this Jack Abramoff-connected guy:
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/dec2005/nf20051216_1037_db016.htm

"A former Abramoff associate says Bandow and at least one other think-tank expert were typically paid $2,000 per column to address specific topics of interest to Abramoff's clients. Bandow's standing as a columnist and think-tank analyst provided a seemingly independent validation of the arguments the Abramoff team were using to try to sway Congressional action.

Bandow confirms that he received $2,000 for some pieces, but says it was "usually less than that amount." He says he wrote all the pieces himself, though with topics and information provided by Abramoff."

Personally, I don't listen to a word Ron Paul says. He knows damn well who Doug Bandow is, he's had a long relationship with him. You can find Bandow writing columns at Ron Paul's Freeman back before the Ambramoff scandal happened. Here he is in 2002 calling Social Security a ponzi scheme:
http://www.thefreemanonline.org/columns/uncle-sams-retirement-scam/

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?108392-Ron-Paul-Campaign-Announces-Addition-of-New-Policy-Advisors